Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Council

Who We Are

The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Family Advisory Council serves as the voice of children who come to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital (HDVCH) and Specialty Pediatric Ambulatory Services. The council strives to ensure that every child and family receives positive, nurturing care. Its purpose is to make the health care experience as comfortable and worry-free as possible for children and families. The council serves all areas of HDVCH, both inpatient and outpatient, to ensure exceptional experiences for all patients and families.

[No text in field]

Council Accomplishments:

Toured HDVCH Simulation Lab and offered feedback on ways to share with parents the specific training and processes that go in to being one of the safest children’s hospitals

Provided input on wording for the whiteboard pain level chart; this information is being used system wide in order to create consistency among the hospitals

Provided feedback on the Direct Admit process to HDVCH

Helped improve communication with the NICU care team and parents during the “Golden Hour” – the time from delivery to being placed in the NICU; standard communication flows were created to provide the most up-to-date status of the infant and parents

Provided insight on the importance of including the family in bedside dialogue, making sure all questions are answered and encouraging communication

Established “No Interruption Zones” in the intensive care units so caregivers can conduct care without intrusions

Gave patient and family perspective on the design of HDVCH and some of the services and amenities provided

Developed a photo guide to identify care providers and their roles to develop trust

Provided patient and family perspective on the specialty outpatient facilities, welcome center and self registration process

Participated in a panel for student nurses and shared parent perspective and expectations

Participated in Project Delivery of Chronic Care, in which pediatric resident physicians are invited into patients' homes to gain a greater appreciation for what it means to live with a chronic illness

Helped develop key questions for parents to use when communicating with physicians about parental presence during their child’s elective surgery

Reviewed safety and security measures

Served as "mystery shoppers" to observe effectiveness of teamwork at various sites throughout Spectrum Health

The content on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a physician regarding your specific medical condition, diagnosis and/or treatment.